Girl Scouts of Western Ohio
ANNUAL REPORT 2020
Our CEO and Board Chair
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As a society, we will always remember 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted our daily routines, changed how we live our lives, and created adversity and challenges that we are still working to overcome. At Girl Scouts of Western Ohio, we embraced these challenges, and Girl Scouts across western Ohio and southeastern Indiana overcame them with enthusiasm, innovation, and resilience. This wouldn't have been possible without you: our generous supporters, volunteers, and Girl Scout families. Thanks to you, Girl Scouting continued in 2020 and our movement is stronger and more relevant now than ever before. In response to the pandemic, we launched Girl Scouts at Home, a virtual and distance learning program that brings the Girl Scout Leadership Experience directly to girls and their families. Whether girls were earning badges virtually, attending virtual Girl Scout camp, or carrying out socially distanced service projects, Girl Scouts at Home kept them connected to a supportive community and mitigated learning loss while schools were closed. Our Girl Scouts also took action by sewing masks for first responders, donating cookies to food banks and homeless shelters, and working as Girl Scout sisters to support each other during uncertain and painful times. The most inspiring part of 2020 was watching how our girls responded to the pandemic - they achieved so much, put service above self, and overcame setbacks to come out of the pandemic healthy, resilient, and strong. As we reflect on 2020, we cannot forget how important it was for social justice. As people step up and speak out against racism in our society, the Girl Scout leadership movement is there to create positive change and build an equitable and just world. Now more than ever, the world needs Girl Scouts. Our girls are the future leaders of tomorrow and, with your support, they will continue to affect change, speak up for what’s right, and develop courage, confidence, and character. Thank you for investing in girls and for supporting them during the toughest year in recent history. Yours in Girl Scouting,
Roni Luckenbill CEO
Victoria Nilles Board Chair
Our Program
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Adaptability, Community, Creativity GIRL SCOUTS AT HOME: ADVENTURE, EXPLORE, AND LEARN WHERE YOU ARE When the pandemic hit Ohio, Girl Scouts of Western Ohio took immediate action and launched Girl Scouts at Home, an innovative virtual and distance learning program that brings Girl Scouting to the virtual space and directly to girls and their families. By pivoting to virtual, distance learning, and small group programming, we gave girls something to rely on during uncertain times: the sisterhood and stability of their Girl Scout family.
Girl Scouts at Home programming included: • Virtual badge programs and events • Virtual Girl Scout camp
• The “Thrive” mental health patch program
• The “Family Adventure” outdoor patch • “Camp in a Box” and “Badge in a Box” kits program that were distributed directly to girls, troops, and community partners that serve girls • Zoom access
CARLY & THE CAMP IN A BOX PROGRAM The highlight of Carly’s summer was the “Camp in a Box” program offered through Girl Scouts at Home. Carly received four camp boxes focused on hiking, campfire cooking, insects, and woodworking. Her favorite was the “bug box” which she used while exploring the outdoors at a state park. “I loved catching bugs and exploring the woods,” Carly says. “Today I learned bugs aren’t gross and are actually very important to nature!”
WHAT GIRL SCOUT FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS ARE SAYING ABOUT GIRL SCOUTS AT HOME “I’ve been involved in Girl Scouts as an adult for many years - my oldest daughter, a Girl Scout alum, is now 24. My youngest daughter loves Girl Scouts and having so many virtual activities has helped her stay involved and learning so much. As a mom, Girl Scouts at Home has some of the best programming I’ve ever seen.” - Jen, a Girl Scout mom and volunteer “Thank you for offering our girls Girl Scouts at Home. At our school, we are not just focused on academics. As a school and a nation, we need to look out for the social emotional health of our students, particularly our vulnerable girls. With everything that’s happening in the world right now, we need to make sure girls are healthy on the outside and inside, and Girl Scouting supports this.” - Rhona Craig, assistant principal at Horace Mann Elementary School
Our Girls
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Resilience, Service, Sisterhood During the COVID-19 pandemic, girls in western Ohio and southeastern Indiana demonstrated extraordinary Girl Scout spirit and came together despite the challenges they were facing to support each other, their families, and their communities. Girls lived the Girl Scout Promise and Law by donating cookies to charitable causes, sewing masks, carrying out service projects, and adapting to virtual and socially distanced learning.
During challenging times, everyone could use a sweet treat. This is why Girl Scouts like JoJo and Tavi, two of the top cookie entrepreneurs in western Ohio, donated cookies to worthy charities including food banks, homeless shelters, and veterans’ organizations.
In 2020, Girl Scouts donated nearly 81,000 boxes of cookies!
Girl Scouts like Elizabeth sewed and donated hundreds of face masks to first responders, front line workers, and vulnerable members of the community. When the pandemic first began and face masks were hard to find, Girl Scouts were there to help our communities mask up and stop the spread of COVID-19.
Girl Scouts like Elizabeth sewed and donated hundreds of face masks!
Exploring, growing, and learning never stops when you’re a Girl Scout. During the pandemic, Girl Scouts were creative and earned badges in virtual, socially-distanced, and group settings. This Girl Scout troop earned their Civics badges on Zoom and then met with the mayor of Hamilton, Ohio, in a small group.
Thanks to these Girl Scouts, there is now a civics day for kids in Hamilton!
Our Supporters
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Compassion, Empowerment, Leadership
POWERING HER
PROMISE When the 2020 cookie program ended a month early, generous corporations, community organizations, and governmental entities stepped up to help Girl Scouts sell their remaining cookies. A special thanks to the Rotary Club of Cincinnati who purchased $23,525 worth of cookies – that’s a lot of Thin Mints! 46 Businesses Bosses purchased more than 10,000 boxes of cookies from Cookie Bosses, raising $50,000 for local Girl Scout troops. The COVID-19 pandemic caused economic strife across our region, affecting the financial situations of thousands of Girl Scout families. This caused a dramatic increase in requests for financial assistance and led to our first ever emergency fundraising campaign: Powering Her Promise. From June to August 2020, hundreds of donors invested $186,000 for financial assistance, enabling 7,440 girls to join Girl Scouts! When Girl Scouting transitioned to virtual and distance learning settings, our supporters showed unprecedented flexibility, leadership, philanthropic spirit, and belief in the Girl Scout mission. •
Individual, corporate, and foundations helped us pilot the virtual Camp for Every Girl Initiative, providing 406 underserved girls with free camp boxes and virtual camp opportunities.
•
Local foundations donated more than $40,000 in COVID relief funds and allowed our council to redirect funds to general operating and emergency response.
Our Members
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Girl Scout Membership
32,556
2,510
Girl Members
Girl Scout Troops
2,304
Lifetime Members
12,642
Volunteers
The Highest Awards in Girl Scouting
21 Gold Award Girl Scouts
238 Silver Award Girl Scouts
529 Bronze Award Girl Scouts
Our Gold Shines Bright: Project Spotlight Noelle, a Girl Scout Senior, worked with her community to create a natural playground at Russ Nature Reserve, a park that was heavily damaged during the 2019 Dayton tornadoes. The natural playground is now open, safe for kids to use, and is helping to bring visitors back to the park after this devastating natural disaster.
Noelle Girl Scout Senior
Anvi, a recent Girl Scout alum, designed and launched an educational campaign and curriculum dedicated to raising awareness of human trafficking and what efforts the community can take to combat it. Her curriculum is being integrated into social studies classes at Mason High School.
Anvi Girl Scout Ambassador
Our Results
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Girl Scouts at Home
15,000+ girls
2,500+ girls
1,000+ girls
7,000+ girls
100+ girls
100+ girls
earned 17,000+ badges virtually
attended virtual Girl Scout camp
received “camp in a box” kits
received the “Thrive” patch
received “badge in a box” kits
received the “Family Adventure” patch
1,000+ Girl Scout troops met virtually over Zoom
How Girl Scouts Gain Leadership Skills Girl Scouts of Western Ohio provides many opportunities for Girl Scouts, including exploring new activities and developing skills through the Girl Scout Leadership Experience. Girl Scout participation allows girls to engage in learning opportunities that help them gain more leadership skills. Based on 2020 program results, here’s how local girls participating in troops compare to non-Girl Scouts on several key outcomes:
67%
74%
65%
75%
had girl-led experiences
learned cooperatively with others
learned by doing hands-on activities
have a strong sense of self
compared to
compared to
compared to
compared to
51%
61%
59%
non-Girl Scouts
non-Girl Scouts
non-Girl Scouts
68%
non-Girl Scouts
Our Results
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What Girl Scouts Say Girls say that Girl Scouts provides a safe and inclusive environment where they can do a variety of activities, learn new things, and form friendships. As girls are more engaged with each of these key drivers they become more satisfied, more likely to stay in Girl Scouts, and more likely to recommend Girl Scouting to others.
Key Drivers to Girl Scouting
Percentage of Girls in Troops who Agree
Inclusive: In Girl Scouts, I feel like I belong.
92%
Fun: I am excited about the things I get to do in Girl Scouts.
93%
Value: Participating in Girl Scouts makes me feel like I am part of something bigger than myself.
85%
Fit: Girl Scouts offers the kind of activities I want to do.
89%
GS Identity: I like being a Girl Scout.
95%
Safe Space: I feel safe in Girl Scouts.
97%
Girl Only: I like that Girl Scouts is just for girls.
85%
New Experiences: I learn new things in Girl Scouts.
95%
Variety: I get to do lots of different things in Girl Scouts.
91%
What Girl Scout Troop Leaders Say
89%
As a Girl Scout troop leader, I make a difference in the lives of girls.
85%
Being a Girl Scout troop leader gives me opportunities to use my talents, skills and/or passions.
78%
The amount of time I spend volunteering with Girl Scouts is acceptable.
What Girl Scout Parents Say 85% Their girls felt like they belonged. They had opportunities to bond with
77% their girls.
Their girls got opportunities that they
72% would not otherwise have had.
Their girls participated in a variety of
77% activities.
Their girls did the activities they wanted her
73% to do. 76%
Their girls worked on meaningful goals in Girl Scouts.
Your YourImpact Impact
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2020 Revenue
2020 Expenses
8%
78%
Product sales
Investment income
11%
2%
Charitable gifts, grants, and United Way
Program fees
1%
Other
GIRL SCOUT COOKIES 19,296 Cookie
Entrepreneurs
$2.4 million raised for Girl Scout troops
$
80,667 boxes donated to food banks, shelters, and veterans’ organizations
To see a complete donor listing, please visit gswo.org/donors
85%
Girl and Volunteer Programs
15%
Administrative Costs
Girl Scout supporters allowed Girl Scouts of Western Ohio to distribute more than $463,000 in financial assistance and free badge kits to underserved girls and volunteers
Girl Scout donors enabled 16,958 underserved girls and volunteers to join Girl Scouts
100% of staff and board donated to Girl Scouts of Western Ohio
Business Bosses purchased $50,000 worth of cookies to support girls when the cookie program ended early due to the pandemic
1,123 Girl Scout donors changed lives in 2020 The condensed statements of financial position and activities has been summarized from the 990 of Girl Scouts of Western Ohio. The 990 is available on guidestar.org and for inspection at the offices of Girl Scouts of Western Ohio.
Michigan Lucas Fulton
Williams
Defiance
A
Wood
Henry
1
Ottawa
SERVICE CENTERS Toledo
A
Paulding Putnam
Van Wert
22
Hancock
Lima
B
Dayton
C
B B
Cincinnati
D
Allen Hardin
Auglaize
Mercer
Logan Shelby
CAMPS 1 Camp Libbey 2 Camp Woodhaven
Darke Champaign
33
Miami
3 Camp Rolling Hills 4 Camp Stonybrook
Clark
Indiana
C C Preble
6 Camp Butterworth
Montgomery Greene 4 4 Warren
Butler
6 6
55
In Partnership With:
Clinton
®
Hamilton Clermont
Ohio
888.350.5090 | gswo.org customercare@gswo.org
D D Dearborn
5 Camp Whip Poor Will
Brown
Kentucky
Board of Directors 2020-2021 Officers Chair Victoria Nilles Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office 1st Vice Chair Cassie Barlow Southwestern Ohio Council for Higher Education (SOCHE) 2nd Vice Chair Kimber Fender Retired, Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County
Secretary Patrice Borders Prevention Strategies, LLC Treasurer Susan Gantz Matz Retired, Lyondell Chemicals, LLP
Members-at-Large
Melissa Cutcher Technology First
Melanie Towns Fifth Third Bank
Elizabeth Dreyer Morgan Stanley
Pam Viscione Retired, Procter & Gamble
Amanda Graven ProMedica
Carole Williams Mount St. Joseph University
Corinne Hemesath Retired, Morgan Stanley
Vonda Willis Vonda K. Willis, LLC
Theresa Hirschauer Cincinnati Country Day School Anna Jones Monnett Retired, Dayton VA Medical Center Bleuzette Marshall University of Cincinnati
Maria Arcocha White Inclusity
Jenny Michael CareSource
Sheri Bogardus Payce
Patti Robb Thomas M. Wernert Center
Angela Carter Owens Corning
Bill Schretter Life-Legacy Services
Ex-Officio — Non-Voting Members Girl Member Gillian Heineman Tierney Rasmussen Immediate Past Chair Ellen Iobst Chief Executive Officer, Girl Scouts of Western Ohio Roni J. Luckenbill